Martes Americana 20-27 long Tail 7-9 1-2.75 lbs. Males 15% larger Dark brown body May have chest spot Orange to whiesh Small dot to large patch Dark eyes Bushy tail Abdominal scent gland Mature coniferous forest Including woody debris For prey cover Avoids cut or burned habitat Hollow tree or log Lined with dry leaves/grass Alaska to Newfoundland South into Rockies, Cascades, Olympics, Coast range, Sierras OpportunisEc Mostly voles Squirrels, hares, eggs, hatchlings, insects, carrion, berries Summer may climb higher for pikas and marmots Breed July/August (2-3 y/o) Delayed implantaeon Young born in March/April 1-6 (avg 3-4) 1 oz Weaned 6-7 weeks Disperse @ 3 months 5 toes each foot Claws evident Non- retractable Front and rear may overlap Small palm pad Furry outline Variable depending on meal Vole/rodents Segmented individual elongated droppings Berries/insects Loose, clumping Meal remnants evident 1
Martes pennan. 31-47 long Tail 12-16 4.5 12 lbs. Dark brown body Typically no alternate chest or abdominal color Small white chest spot rare Rounded ears Fox- like face Pointed rostrum Tail may include gold to brown to black se coniferous forest Avoid young or cleared/thinned forest Mostly nocturnal Large individual range Hollow trees/logs, rock crevices, brush piles Usually temporary Central/Southern Canada to NE U.S. Into Northern Rockies, Cascades, Siskiyous, Sierras Olympics? OpportunisEc Squirrels, hares, mice, muskrats, birds, porcupines Occasionally berries, nuts, carrion Breed April (@2 y/o) 1 week aeer giving birth Delayed implantaeon unel January Birth March/April Nurse 7 weeks 5 toes each foot Non- retractable claws seen Fore paw may include heel pad Walking track shows separated tracks Running front and hind paws may overlap 0.25 diameter Segmented Not as likely to show berries, etc than marten. Not as regularly consumed 2
Mustela erminea Length 8.75-13 Tail 1.5-3.5 Weight 1.5-3.75 oz. Summer coat Medium/light brown upper White to yellowish under White paws Black tail end Winter coat Oct/Nov turns white Except black tail Ep Mar/April returns to brown Short round ears Long neck Fore limbs placed far back Coniferous/mixed forest Also streamside May move alpine in summer Take over other borrows Lines with dried grass, fur/feathers of prey Most of Canada, Northern U.S., excluding western Dakotas/ Eastern Montana Washington all of Cascades, Olympics, and Selkirk range Mice, voles, shrews, chipmunks, pocket gophers, pikas, rabbits, bird eggs, nestlings, insects, amphibians Breed at 2-3 months Born April/May 4-12 per liger (avg 6-9) Male joins family and impregnates mother and all young females Males not mature unel next Feb/March Hindprints ¾ wide, 1 long 4 of 5 toes prineng Claws evident Foreprints slightly wider than hindprints Approximately half as long Hindfeet usually placed in or near foreprints SomeEmes side by side or ahead Dark brown or black Long, slender and segmented Tapering at one end Frequently contains hair or bits of bone Deposited on rocks, logs, or stumps 3
Mustela frenata 11-17 length 4.75-11 tail 3-14 oz. Summer coat similar to ermine Cinnamon brown Underside more yellow than white Feet brown Winter coat also like ermine White except tail Ep Might have yellow Ent on belly Open habitat Agriculture, grasslands, alpine tundra Take over den of prey Lined with fur from prey Nearly all of U.S., SW Canada, all of Mexico excluding Baja, into C.A. All of Washington Voles, mice, ground squirrels, wood rats, red squirrels, rabbits, shrews, bird eggs, nestlings Mate mid- summer Born April/May Delayed implantaeon 4-9 per liger Weaned at 7 weeks Males ~1 oz larger than females at this point Another male joins and impregnates females Very similar to ermine ~1 x 1 Longer hind print ~1 x 3 Claws seen May show 5th digit Bounding gait leaves prints overlapped brown or black Long, slender and segmented Less so than ermine Tapering at one end May have hair or bone Used to mark territory on rocks, logs, or stumps 4
Mink Mustela vison 19-28 long Tail 5-8.25 1.75-3 lbs. Sleek, dark brown to black May have white spots on chin and/ or chest Cylindrical, bushy tail Short legs Male 2x female Anal scent glands like skunk Near water in coniferous/hardwood forests, brushlands, grasslands Burrow close to water May build own or take over abandoned beaver or muskrat burrow Lines with grass, feathers, fur Mink Eastern half of U.S. All but most northern Canada Washington All but dry SE Muskrats when possible Fish, frogs, waterfowl, eggs, mice, voles, rabbits, snakes, crayfish Breed Late Jan early April Birth late April/early May Variable delayed implantaeon 1 week to 1.5 months GestaEon ~ 1 month Ligers of 2-10 (avg 4-5) Weaned at 5 weeks On their own at 8-12 weeks Aeer 2-3 weeks learning to hunt 5